James moeeissby



w (No Model.) J. MORRISSEY.

BRIDLE BIT. No. 378,970. Patented Man 6, 1888.

INV'EN TOR ATTORNEYS.

N. PETERS. Fnawumgn mr, Wahingim-PZG PATENT Fries.

JAMES MORRISSEY, OF W'EST ISLIP, NEW YORK.

BRlDLE-BiT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 378,970, dated March 6,1888. Application filed January 18, 1888. Serial No. 261.143. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES MoRRIssEY, of WVest Islip, in the county ofSuffolk and State of New York, have invented a new and ImprovedFork-Bit, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an improvement in bits, and has for its objectto provide a fork-bit adapted for use with the ordinary bit, wherebyhorses may be effectively and expeditiously cured of bad or vicioushabits, such as kicking, rearing, hard pulling, or running away, andwherein the device may be employed in either harness or saddle, andwherein, further, the device will improve the style and action of allhorses upon which itis regularly used for a Shoat term, after which itmay be dispensed wit The invention consists in providing a harness withan auxiliary fork-like bit,'and in the construction and combination ofthe several parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth,and pointedout in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 illustrates the application of the device. same, and Fig. 3 isa detail view thereof.

In carrying out the invention the bit is made up of a fork-like frame,A, and a transverse mouth-piece or port, B. The frame consists of arigid metal bar, I), bifurcated at the upper end to provide theapproaching arms or prongs b, the two prongs being adapted to pass upoutside of the horses jaws and are turned over forward and downward toproduce the eyes N, which eyes are purposed to prevent accidents liableto happen were the ends of the prongs left straight and sharp. Theapproaching prongs a distance below their extremities are united by theaforesaid port B, the horizontal members d of which are inclined fromthe prongs downward to the center and connected by an integralessentially vertically and upwardly projecting inverted-U-shaped member,d, having its bowed or upper edge preferably beveled upon opposing sides'or otherwise manipulated to produce a comparatively sharp surface.Integral with the outer Fig- 2 is a perspective view of the side of therespective prongs b loops are produced, having billets 6 passed throughthem, the said loops being preferably in alignment with the port B.

Above the center of the body-barb,upon opposite sides,loops similar tothe aforesaid loops upon the prongs are provided, adapted to re ceivebillets e, which, fastened to the girths of the saddle or to the tracesof harness, act as a check. The lower end of the said body-bar isflattened, and in the flattened surface parallel transverse slots E arecut,through which slots and over theintervening tongue the main billet Eis passed,whereby the device is secured to a harness.

A pad or protecting-strap, H, is held in en gagement with the innerflattened surface of the body-bar by attachment above the flattened end,and also by the billet E, as the pad-strap is carried across the lowerextremity of the bar 12 to the forward or front side and provided with aslot in its folded end and with a similar slot upon the opposite side,through both of which the billet E passes, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In operation, when the bit is placed in position in front of theordinary bit, the upper end of the prongs, which reach high over theupper jaw, keep the device straight in the horses mouth and prevent himputting the upper jaw over either side, acting like an ordinary barusually attached to bridles. The under jaw of the horse is adapted topass through the space below the port between the prongs. By this meansthe prongs prevent the horse from getting the lower jaw more to one sidethan the other.

In placing the auxiliary bit in the mouth it is positioned outside thesnaffle and drawn in so close thereto as that it will lie loosely on themiddle of the mouth, retained there by the two cheekstraps or billets 6,adapted for attachment to the checks of the bridle above the.

rings of the snaffle, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower billet, E, is passedthrough the kidneylink or hamestrap, the device then extending downwardin front of the chest. Thus by means of the billet E the head can beraised to the desired height, the weight of the bit coming upon thebillet E and not upon the mouth. A horse in striving to kick suddenlythrows downhis head, by which movement the roof of the mouth is broughtin contact with the sharp or high member of the port. The bar I) havinga preferable inclination inward, as the horse reaches forward to kick,the upward movement of the port is insured, and a horse once feeling theeffects of the bit will not be liable to try the maneuver a second time.

To prevent ahorse from rising in the saddle, an ordinary riding-bridleis used with a snaffle, and the forked bit is attached as on horses inharness. A well-fitting breast-plate is, how ever, employed, placed onwith the saddle and drawn tight on the girth. The strap E of the bar isthereupon slipped through the middle breasting on the breast-plate andbuckled at such a length that it will have a play of about two inches.

It is a positive fact that all horses throw their heads up and downbefore rearing, and then reach forward and suddenly rise, by whichmovement the effect of the nipples m, produced by the union of themembers of the port B, will be felt, as they will come in contact withthe middle of the tongue with such force as to frighten him.

The downward inclination of the side members of the port causes thenipple to catch the tongue before the bases of the prongs engage thelower jaw, and by reason of the inward inclination of the nipples theywill catch the tongue farther in advance as the horse raises his headand will cause more fright than hurt.

Again, by the use of the device the horse is compelled to hold his headup, as, the bar being comparatively straight and very strong and withouta hinge or spring, and standing perpendicular, any weight coming on itwill not cause it to bend or give way, and being securely attached tothe kidney-link, a strong purchase is obtained. Therefore, to whateverheight the horses head is raised, it will be obliged to remain thereuntil the bitis removed. The pad-strap H effectually prevents any chating.

Having thus described my invention, whatl claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with an ordinary bit, of an auxiliary bit consistingof a rigid bar provided with a forked upper end having its membersconnected by a port centrally and upwardly curved, substantially as andfor the purpose herein set forth.

2. The combination, with an ordinary bit, of an auxiliary bit consistingof a rigid bar having a bifurcated upper end, and a port uniting theprongs, provided with spaced nipples upon the under side and anoutwardly and upwardly curved projection upon the upper side, substantially as and for the purpose herein set forth.

3. The combination, with an ordinary bit and harness of a horse, of anauxiliary bit consisting of a rigid bar having a bifurcated up per end,a port uniting'the prongs, provided with spaced nipples upon the underside and an outwardly and upwardly curved projection upon the upperside, and means, substantially as described, for attaching the auxiliarybit to the harness and ordinary bit, as set forth.

4. An auxiliary bit for horses, consisting of a rigid bar having abifurcated upper end and a port uniting the prongs, provided withnipples upon the under side and an upwardly and outwardly curvedprojection upon the upper side, substantially as and for the purposeherein set forth.

JAMES MORRISSEY.

\Vitnesscs:

FRANK S. HoLDRIDoEs, F. A. DOWDEN.

